Metamorphoses Glossary
Metamorphoses Glossary created by Cameron Taylor PLEASE NOTE: This glossary is here for the cast as a convenient way to look up names and brief definitions of the various characters, names, places, and otherwise mentioned in Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman. I have tried to include as many of the terms named within the play as I can, and I will add pronunciations soon. However, I must ask that no one edit this page except for myself, simply because there are so many terms and I want to keep track of what is included. If there is a phrase, character, name, or word you would like to see added, simply email me through my coastal email, text me, or just tell me in person and I will add it. Also, two things to point out 1. Ceres and Bacchus are here listed as their Greek names of Demeter and Dionysus respectively. This is merely done in order to make things less confusing and for the sake of uniformity. Nearly every other god in the play is listed by their Greek name, so I did it for these two as well. 2. The characters of Sleep, Hunger, Cold, and Fear are listed by their official Greek names of Hypnos, Limos, Frigus, and Phobos respectively. The Fates are listed separately as Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. The Lion, Bull, and Scorpion mentioned by Apollo to Phaeton are included as well as Leo, Taurus, and Scorpius respectively. I have also included all twelve Olympian gods and Hestia for the sake of knowing the full pantheon and relationships. Thanks so much for understanding! Sincerely Cameron People/Names Adonis – God of beauty and desire. Desired by Aphrodite and Persephone. He was killed by a boar while hunting, but was made immortal by Zeus, who allowed him to spend half his time on earth with Aphrodite, and the other half in the Underworld with Persephone. Aeolus – God and master of the winds. Father of Alcyone. Ruler of the island of Aeolia. Alcyone – Wife of Ceyx and daughter of the wind god Aeolus. In the original myth, she and her husband affectionately deemed one another “Zeus and Hera”. Zeus, enraged by this, destroyed Ceyx’s vessel while he was out at sea. Hearing of this from the dream god Morpheus, Alcyone threw herself into the ocean in grief. Taking pity on them, the gods revived them as sea birds, allowing them to live forever and rear their young in their nests. Aphrodite – The goddess of love. Formed when Zeus flung the genitals of Uranus into the sea. The sea foam that came from that formed into Aphrodite. She is the wife of Hephaestus, the fire god. One of the twelve gods of Olympus. Greek equivalent of Venus. Apollo – God of music, disease, art and the sun. Son of Leto and brother to Artemis, goddess of the hunt, chastity, and the moon. He is sometimes identified as the father of Phaeton. One of the twelve gods of Olympus. He is named the same in both Roman and Greek, though he is sometimes known as Phoebus. Ares – God of war, blood, violence, and strength. He is the son of Zeus and Hera. Often the lover of Aphrodite, though she was married to Hephaestus. One of the twelve gods of Olympus. Greek equivalent of Mars. Artemis – Goddess of the hunt, disease, chastity, and the moon. Daughter of Leto and sister to Apollo, god of music, art, and the sun. One of the twelve gods of Olympus. Greek equivalent of Diana. Atalanta – A woman abandoned by her father on a mountain top and raised by bears. An accomplished huntress and follower of Artemis. Vowed to marry the man who could beat her in a footrace. Eventually married Hippomenes, who beat her by using golden apples from Aphrodite to distract her while they were racing. Both were changed into lions when they had sex in the temple of Zeus. Athena – The goddess of wisdom, courage, strategic warfare, and justice. Daughter of Zeus and Metis, and born from Zeus’ head after he swallowed Metis whole. She is also the patron goddess of the city of Athens. One of the twelve gods of Olympus. Greek equivalent of Minerva. Atropos (The Fates) – One of the three fates and the goddess of destiny and the future. She snips the thread of life with her shears, determining when and how a mortal dies. Baucis – An elderly Phrygian woman, and wife of Philemon. She and her husband generously take in Zeus and Hermes when they are disguised as beggars. The gods change their house into a temple, and the two of them into trees when they die. Ceyx – Son of the King of Thessaly and Eosphorus, goddess of the morning star. Husband to Alcyone. In the original myth, the two affectionately called each other “Zeus and Hera”. Zeus was so angered by this that he destroyed Ceyx’s ship when he was out at sea. Alcyone then threw herself into the sea out of grief. Taking pity on them, the gods changed them both into living Halcyon birds, free to be together and nest their young. Chaos - The primordial void, and the first being in existence. Ovid described it as a shapeless heap of all the elements of the universe blended together. Everything came from Chaos. Not to be confused with Eris, goddess of discord and chaos. Cinyras – The King of Cyprus, often thought to be a consort of Aphrodite. He unknowingly sleeps with his daughter Myrrha, after she is cursed by Aphrodite with unquenchable lust for her father. Upon discovering this, he tries to kill her, but she escapes. Some accounts say he committed suicide soon after. Clotho (The Fates) – One of the three fates and the goddess of destiny and the present. She spins the thread of life with her distaff, determining when a mortal is born. Demeter (Ceres) – Goddess of the changing seasons and the harvest. Mother of Persephone and sister of Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, and Hestia. One of the twelve gods of Olympus. Greek equivalent to Ceres. Dionysus (Bacchus) – God of wine, festivals, theatre, and sexual pleasure. Son of Zeus and the mortal Semele. One of the twelve gods of Olympus. Greek equivalent of Bacchus. Epaphus – Schoolmate of Phaeton. He beat up Phaeton after he claimed his father was Apollo. Eros – The god of love. He is most times listed as son of Aphrodite, while others say he came from Chaos. Husband of Psyche. More commonly known by his roman name: “Cupid”. Erysichthon – Son of Triopas, the King of Thessaly. His name means “He who tears the Earth”. Orders the cutting down of all the trees in the sacred grove of Demeter, killing a dryad nymph in the process. Demeter sends the hunger goddess Limos to inflict Erysichthon with crippling starvation until he devours himself. Name can be alternately spelled as Erisichthon. Eurydice – a wood nymph and daughter of Apollo. Intended bride of Orpheus. She is killed on her wedding day when she is bitten by a poisonous viper. Orpheus attempts to rescue her, but he fails and she is confined to the Underworld for all eternity. Frigus (Cold) – God of coldness. Often seen huddled together with Limos (Hunger) and Phobos (Fear) beyond the Caucasus. Hades - God of the Underworld. Brother to Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia. Husband to Persephone. Greek equivalent to Pluto. Helen – Daughter of Zeus and Leda, who was seduced by Zeus when he was in the guise of a swan. She is known as Helen of Troy. She was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the entire world. She was kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris, and this kidnapping brought about the infamous Trojan War in which the Greeks tried to reclaim Helen. Hephaestus – God of blacksmiths, forges, volcanoes, and fire. Son of Zeus and Hera. Husband to Aphrodite. Crafted many items for the other gods, such as Athena’s breast plate, Hermes’ sandals, and Eros’ bow and arrows. Greek equivalent of Vulcan. Hera – Queen of the gods, and the goddess of women, marriage, and childbirth. Sister to Hades, Poseidon, Demeter, and Hestia. Sister and Wife of Zeus, the king of gods. One of the twelve gods of Olympus. Greek equivalent to Juno. Hermes – God of messengers, shepherds, thieves, and travelers. Son of Zeus and Maia. He is responsible for shepherding souls to the Underworld when they die. One of the twelve gods of Olympus. Greek equivalent to Mercury. Hestia – Goddess of the hearth, home, family, and virginity. Elder sister of Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, and Demeter. Formerly one of the twelve gods of Olympus, she gave up her place so that Dionysus could join their ranks. She tends the sacred hearth on Olympus. Hypnos (Sleep) – God of sleep. He is the brother of Thanatos (Death). Son of Nyx, goddess of Night. Greek equivalent to Somnus. Iris – The goddess of the rainbow. Used as a messenger for the gods. Lachesis (The Fates) – One of the three fates and the goddess of destiny and the past. She measures the thread of life with her measuring rod, determining how long a mortal will live. Leo (The Lion) – A constellation formed from the Nemean Lion, a vicious beast that kidnapped women and killed any warrior that came to its lair. It was later killed by Heracles (Hercules) as part of his 12 labors. Limos (Hunger) – The goddess of hunger. She is often seen huddling close together with Phobos (Fear) and Frigus (Cold) beyond the Caucasus. She also follows the war god Ares into battle. Lucina – Midwife. It is also the name of the goddess of childbirth. She is known as “the one who gives light to children”. Midas – A Greek King who had a love of gold. As a reward for keeping the lost Silenus safe from harm, Dionysus granted Midas’ wish of turning whatever he touched into gold. Midas soon found this gift to be a curse, finding food, drink, and his own daughter turned to gold when he touched them. By orders of Dionysus, he washed his hands in the river Pactolus, and the curse was lifted, reuniting him with his daughter. Afterwards, Midas hated wealth and moved to the country, becoming a follower of satyr god of nature Pan. Morpheus – The god of dreams. He is the son of Hypnos, god of sleep. Myrrha – Daughter of King Cinyras. She refused to fall in love, so Aphrodite cursed her to fall in love with her father. Myrrha, after managing to sleep with her father, eventually fled her home, transforming into a stream when she touched water. Narcissus – Handsome son of the river god Cephissus and the nymph Liriope. Scorned and disdained all who fell in love with him, including the oread Echo. He was then cursed by the revenge goddess Nemesis to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. He stayed by the pool for days and nights, eventually dying of starvation. His body was then turned into a flower, then dubbed a narcissus Oread – Nymphs that lived in mountains, ravines, and valleys. They are closely associated with Artemis, as she preferred hunting in rocky areas. Orpheus – Son of Apollo and Calliope, the muse of epic poetry. He was given a lyre by his father, and was said to play the most beautiful songs mortals had ever heard. He is also the intended husband of Eurydice. He attempts to reclaim her from the Underworld, but fails. He is eventually torn apart by maenads (wood nymphs), and his body is turned into the constellation Lyra. Ovid - Publius Ovidius Naso, the famous Roman poet most well-known for writing the Metamorphoses, a 15 book collection of mythological stories, written in the meter of an epic poem. He is often placed alongside Virgil and Horace as one of the three canonical poets of Latin literature. Sent to the Black Sea on exile by Emperor Augustus where he lived until death. Pandora – The first woman created by the gods, imbued with a strong sense of curiosity. She was given a small jar called a pithos (not a box like in modern translations), which contained all the evils of the world. She eventually opened it, accidentally releasing these evils, but managed to close the jar before Hope could escape. Persephone – Goddess of spring and queen of the Underworld. She is a daughter of Demeter who was kidnapped by Hades, who forced her to be his queen. She spends half of the year in the underworld with Hades, and the other half on earth with her mother. Greek equivalent to Proserpina. Phaeton – Son of the ocean nymph Clymene and Helios, the sun god (Apollo in some versions). Phaeton went to his father, who swore to give Phaeton anything he desired. Phaeton asked to drive his father’s chariot, despite being advised not to do so. Phaeton ended up losing control of the chariot and burning parts of the earth into desert. Zeus eventually was forced to destroy the chariot with a thunderbolt, killing Phaeton. Philemon – An elderly Phrygian man who lives with his wife Baucis. The two generously took in Hermes and Zeus when they were disguised as beggars. As a reward, the gods turned Baucis and Philemon’s cottage into a temple, and turned the elderly couple into tress when they died, so they might be together forever. Phobos (Fear) – The god of fear. Often seen huddled together with Frigus (Cold) and Limos (Hunger) beyond the Caucasus. Pomona – Goddess of fruit and fruit bearing trees. Wife of Vertumnus, Roman god of spring. Poseidon – God of the sea, earthquakes and horses. Brother of Zeus, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia. One of the more violent gods, he is known for creating terrible storms to wreck the voyages of those who do not pay him tribute. One of the twelve gods of Olympus. Greek equivalent to Neptune. Psyche - Goddess of the Soul and wife to Eros. She was a mortal princess who earned the love of Eros and was taken to his palace but he ordered her never to look at his face. She eventually did this out of curiosity, and Eros fled. She was then put into the service of Aphrodite and performed many arduous tasks, until Zeus allowed her to be with Eros. They married, and their wedding was attended by the gods. Reiner Maria Rilke - A Bohhemian-Austrian poet, recognized as being one of the most "lyrically intense" poets in the German language. One of his most famous works is a collection of poems titled Sonnets to Orpheus, which he wrote after a childhood playmate of his daughter died. The poems are mostly told from the point of view of Eurydice, with references to Orpheus (whom Rilke refers to as "the god with the lyre"). Scorpius (The Scorpion) – A constellation formed from the Scorpion of Artemis. He was sent to kill Orion, after the hunter boasted he was better than Artemis at hunting. The two battled and the Scorpion killed Orion. Both were then raised into the heavens by Zeus and turned into constellations. Silenus – The foster father and former school master of Dionysus. He is a satyr in the original myth. He is one of Dionysus’ closest and most beloved followers. Sisyphus - A vicious and impious king, known for his craftiness. He often killed travelers at a whim, and was deceitful to others. Zeus ordered Thanatos to chain Sisyphus in Tartarus, but Sisyphus tricked Thanatos into chaining himself up and escaped. Ares eventually freed Thanatos and turned Sisyphus over to him. As punishment, Sisyphus was taken to the Underworld and forced to forever push a boulder to the top of a hill, only for it to always roll back to the bottom and force him to start over. Tantalus – A gluttonous king who tried to offer his son Pelops to the gods. He chopped Pelops into pieces and served him to the gods as a stew, with only Demeter tasting it. The gods were horrified, and they revived Pelops, giving him an ivory shoulder to replace the one Demeter ate. Tantalus was punished in the Underworld by being forced to stand in a pool of water up to his knees and underneath a cluster of apples. The apples would forever be out of his reach, and if he tried to drink from the pool, the water would recede. Taurus (The Bull) – A constellation formed from the Cretan Bull, father of the Minotaur. It was eventually captured by Heracles (Hercules) as part of his twelve labors. The bull was later sacrificed to Apollo and Artemis, and his body was transformed into the constellation. Vertumnus – The shy Roman god of spring. He can shape shift to resemble anything he wants. Husband to Pomona, the goddess of fruits and trees. Zeus – King of gods, and the god of storms, thunder, and lightning. Son of Kronos and Rhea. Brother to Hades, Poseidon, Demeter, and Hestia. Brother and husband to Hera, Queen of the gods. Rules on Mount Olympus, and is the most powerful of the gods. Often has sexual affairs with Mortal women. One of the twelve gods of Olympus. Greek equivalent to Jupiter. Places/Locations Arab Wilderness - The Arabian desert, located in Western Asia. One of the largest continuous bodies of sand in the entire world. Campania – A region of southern Italy along the Italian Peninsula. Colonized by Greek settlers as part of Magna Graecia, the settlement of Greeks in Italy. Known to the Romans as Campania Felix, meaning “fertile countryside”. Caucasus, The – A region at the border between Asia and Europe, in between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. It is home to the Caucasus Mountains. In mythology, it was one of the pillars that held up the world. After giving fire to man, Prometheus was chained to these mountains by Zeus as punishment, and had his regenerating liver eaten every day by an eagle. Ovid described it as being in Scythia, as well as the home to Frigus (Cold), Phobos (Fear), and Limos (Hunger). Cimmeria (Cimmerians) – The ancient name of Crimea. A peninsula south of the mainland of modern day Ukraine, and north coast along the Black Sea. Home to the Cimmerians, a race of barbarians. Crete – The largest of the Greek islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Once the center of Minoan civilization. Known in mythology as the birth place of Zeus, king of the gods. Eden – The garden of the Christian God. Described as an absolute paradise where God allowed the first man (Adam) and first woman (Eve) to live. (A)Ethiopia – In Greek literature, Aethiopia referred to the upper Nile region of Africa, and not modern day Ethiopia. Greek historian Herodotus used this term to describe parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Black Africans were referred to as Aithiops, which meant “burnt face” Olympus – The highest mountain in Greece. Located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia. The highest peak is named Mytikas (known originally as Pantheon), and is 9,570 ft. tall. In mythology, it is the home to the twelve Olympian gods, Hestia, and the Muses. The Olympians lived in the valleys of the mountain, and Pantheon was their meeting place. The Muses lived on the northern foot of the mountain. Sacred Grove of Ceres/Demeter – A small clearing of trees watched over by the goddess of the harvest, Demeter/Ceres. It is home to wood nymphs, who take up residence in the trees. Disturbing one of these groves would incite the wrath of the goddess. Scythia – Multinational region in the classical era, encompassing parts of Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. Ovid wrote that the Caucasus were located here. Underworld – The place where the souls of the departed were thought to go after they died. Located far beneath the surface of the earth. Souls would be escorted by Hermes to the entrance of the realm ferried across the River Styx by Charon, the ferryman, into the Underworld. The gates were guarded by a monstrous three headed dog, Cerberus. The Underworld is ruled over by Hades, lord of the Underworld, and his queen Persephone, goddess of spring. Thanatos, god of death, also resides there. Definitions/Words used by the Therapist Adult vocation - Suitability for being an adult. Casement - A window, or part of a window that is set on hinges so it closes and opens like a door. Coda - a concluding passage to a movement or piece. Forming an addition to the basic structure. Conventional exordium - a basic introduction. To meet under normal circumstances. Imago - an idealized, unconscious mental image of someone (usually a parent) that influences the behavior of someone. Individuate - to distinguish from others of the same kind. Infantile Complexes - Thought processes or patterns that are characteristic of an infant. Lachrymose – tearful or given to weeping. Latent - Hidden or concealed. Obviate - to remove. Periphery - the external boundary of any surface or area. Pruner - A garden tool used for trimming and cutting off small branches, twigs, or vines. Radical Alignment - To be suddenly aligned or rearranged into a straight line. Realized Potential - to live up to ones own potential and expectations, or the expectations of others. Salutary - producing a beneficial effect. Self-Aggrandizement - the action of promoting oneself as being very powerful or important. Therapist - a person skilled in a particular kind of therapy be it analytical, physical, or mental. Miscellaneous Terms Cosi Fan Tutti – Full name: Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti (Thus Do They All, or The School for Lovers). A comic opera written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. First performed in 1790. It tells a story in which two men, convinced that their fiancés are faithful to them, take part in a wager in which they disguise themselves and try to woo the fiancé of the other man. It was inspired by the myth of Procris from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, in which a woman (Procris) thinks her hunter husband (Cephalus) is unfaithful. She spies him from a bush and hears him call the name of the wind god Zephyr to cool his breast. Relieved he is faithful, she runs from the bush to greet him, but he shoots her, mistaking her for a wild animal. Cerealia (Feast of Ceres) – A major festival that celebrates Ceres, held for seven days in April. Halcyon – Genus of several varieties of tree kingfishers. It is the name of a bird in Greek legend that is commonly associated with the kingfisher, but still being a different bird. Alcyone and Ceyx were transformed into Halcyon birds as told by Ovid. The name Halcyon is derived from Alcyone. Hearth - The floor of or the place in front of a fireplace. Lyre - A small instrument shaped like a hand held, u-shaped harp. The instrument of Orpheus. Oracle – a person or group of people with the ability to see the future. Comes from the Latin word orare: “to speak”. The most famous Greek oracle was Pythia the Oracle of Delphi, a priestess of the god Apollo. She only gave predictions on the seventh day of each month, during the nine months of the year that were warmest. Ceyx attempted to reach this Oracle when his ship was destroyed. Temple - a building for religious practice. Major gods in Greece had temples where followers would go to make sacrifices for and to pray to the respective god of that temple. Un Aura Amorosa – An aria from the opera Cosi Fan Tutti by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Translated to English as “A loving aura”, “A loving voice”, or “A loving breath”. It is sung by the character Ferrando about his fiancé Dorabella, believing that she will remain completely faithful to him, even as his disguised companion Guglielmo tries to woo her. References